Pick boxes for coal and like cutting machines



J. A. COOK Sept. 23, 1958 PICK BOXES FOR COAL AND LIKE CUTTING MACHINES Filed Sept. 2, 1954 [hue/r for J a j [007%, f lama,

United States Patent PICK BOXES EOR COAL AND LIKE CUTTING MACHINES IamesA, Cook, Stocksfield-on-Tyne, Northumbcrland, England Application September 2,1954, Serial No. 453,896

6 Claims. (Cl. 262--33) This invention relates to pick boxes for coal and like cutting machines, and is particularly applicable to machines wherein a series of pick boxes are coupled together end to end by transverse pivot pins to form an endless chain, though it may also be applied to machines employing a disc or wheel having pick boxes mounted at improved construction of pick box and means for securing a pick or picks therein so that it is impossible for the pick or picks to become detached from the box in use.

A pick box in accordance with my invention includes a pick box body formed with a socket, and a pick holder or pick housingdetachably fitted in said socket and adapted to carry a readily replaceable pick which is interlocked with the pick holder while the pick holder is retained" in the socket and which is thus prevented from Working loose from its holder during the operation of the machine, the socket in said pick box body, the pick holder and the pick being all disposed about a common axis perpendicular to the lengthwise axis of the pick box body. The means for locking the pick in its holder may take several forms, as may also the means for retaining the pick holder in its socket in the pick box body.

The accompanying drawings illustrate examples of my invention. In the drawings:

Figs. 1 and Z are a plan and a lengthwise section respectively of one example of pick box;

Figs. 3 and 4 are a section and a plan view of an alternative form of pick holder for use in the box of Figs. 1 and 2;

Figs. 5 and 6 are a side elevation partly in section and an end view respectively of the spring plunger used in the box of Figs. 1 and 2, and

Figs. 7 and 8 are similar views showing the plunger in its projected position.

In the example illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, a pin h is passed through the wall of a pick holder j and through a registering hole k in a pick shank k inserted in said holder. It will be noted that the pin h is driven into position before the pick holder and pick are placed in the body d of the pick box and cannot be displaced while the pick holder is in said body. The pick holder 1' is cylindrical in plan and is threaded at 1' so that it can be screwed into a correspondingly internally threaded socket m in the pick box body. To prevent rotation of the pick holder j after being positioned, diametrically opposite recesses j j are provided externally of said holder, one or the other of said recesses being engaged "ice by the inner end n of a set screw" n having a squared end n This arrangement allows the screw to be temporarily partially withdrawn to clear its end from one recess and allow the pick holder to be rotated through to reverse the position; of the cutting edge of the pick when required. The recesses ii, i are extended vertically to permit the slight rise or fall of the pick holder due to its screw connection to the pick box body and, to allow vertical, adjustment, I

According tothe. further example illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the threaded cylindrical pick holder may be split diametrally into halves i 1' and a, square projection or abutment i provided internally of one half to engage a corresponding transverse groove, in the shank of the cutting pick, said engagement being efiected before the other halfof the pick holder is placed in position around said shank. The halves of the pick holder may be correctly positioned by engaging dowels r with recesses r on and in their meeting faces as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The half holders are provided with recesses f 1' for the purposes described with reference to the example of Figs. 1 and 2.

Figs. 5 to 8 illustrate a spring plunger for use with a pick box according to my invention wherein one or other of the recesses P, F is engaged by the inner end u of a spring detent or plunger u provided in a hollow plug v which is screwed into one end of the pick box body d from within the socket w that receives the pick holder,

up to a stop constituted by the unthreaded portion ofthe plug v. The detent is provided with a washer u co-acting with a spring y disposed within said plug and with a square head 11 having V-section lug 11 which, in the position shown in Figs. 7 and 8, are received in V-section notches v in the square head v of the plug, while in a position at right angles thereto as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the lugs 11 rest across said notches. In the former position the end a of the spring detent is fully projected and engages one or the other of two diametrically opposite recesses i and 1' provided in the pick holder 1; in the; latter position, the end a of the detent is withdrawn. In this position the pick holder can be inserted into and withdrawn from its socket w.

It will be understood that a spring detent such as u may be substituted for the set screw it in the example illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

While I have described and illustrated my invention as applied to a pick box provided with a single cutting pick, it is equally applicable to those pick boxes which are adapted to receive a plurality of picks set at different angles.

It will now be seen that, as herein described, the pick holder which receives the pick shank is positively secured in its socket in the body of the pick box, and the pick is locked in said pick holder and cannot be withdrawn therefrom or become detached during working. My invention therefore permits the use of picks of high grade steel as there is no wastage of picks due to them falling out of their boxes.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A pick box for a coal or like cutting machine, having in combination a pick box body, a cylindrical socket within said body, a cylindrical pick holder housed in said socket, a threaded connection between said socket and said holder, a cutting pick having a shank, an axial opening in said holder to receive and conform to the cross section of said shank, a recess in said shank, means within said holder projecting into said recess, and means forming a part of the pick box body for preventing re moval of said last mentioned means from said recess while i the holder is housed in said socket.

2. A pick box for a coal or like cutting machine, having in combination a pick box body, a cylindrical socket within said body, a cylindrical pick holder housed in said socket, a threaded connection between said socket and said holder, a cutting pick having a shank, an axial opening in said holder to receive and conform to the cross section of said shank, a transverse hole in said shank, a radial hole in said holder, a pin in said holes to retain the pick in the holder and means forming a part of the pick box body for preventing removal of, said pin while the holder is housed in said socket.

3. A pick box for a coal or like cutting machine, having in combination a pick box body, a cylindrical socket within said body, a cylindrical pick holder housed in said socket, said holder being split diametrally, a threaded connection between said socket and said holder, a cutting pick having a shank, complementary grooves in the half.- portions of said holder to receive and conform to the cross section of said shank, a recess in said shank an internal projection within one of said half portions to project into said recess and means forming a part of said pick box body for preventing removal of said projection from said recess while the holder is housed in said socket.

4. A pick box for a coal or like cutting machine, having in combination a pick box body, a cylindrical socket within said body, a cylindrical pick holder housed in said socket, a threaded connection between said socket and said holder, 3 cutting pick having a shank, an axial opening in said holder to receive and conform to the cross section of said shank, a recess in said shank, means Within said holder projecting into said recess, means forming a part of the pick box body for preventing removal of said last mentioned means from said recess while the holder is housed in said socket, at least one external recess in the periphery of said holder, a screw-threaded hole extending radially from said socket through said body, an annular enlargement at the inner end of said hole, a setscrew extending from said socket outwardly through said hole, a head on the inner end of said set-screw larger than said hole and engageable in said enlargement and said recess, and means on the outer end of said set-screw for turning it to displace said head into or from said recess wherein it locks said holder in said body.

5. A pick box for a coal or like cutting machine, having in combination a pick box body, a cylindrical socket within said body, a cylindrical pick holder housed in said socket, said holder being split diametrally, a threaded connection between said socket and said holder, a cutting pick having a shank, complementary grooves in the half-portions of said holder to receive and conform to the cross section of said shank, a recess in said shank, an internal projection within one of said half-portions to project into said recess, means forming the part of said pick box body preventing removal of said projection from said recess while the holder is housed in said socket, at least one external recess in the periphery of said holder, 21 screw-threaded hole extending radially from said socket through said body, an annular enlargement at the inner end of said hole, a set-screw extending from said socket outwardly through said hole, a head on the inner end of said setscrew larger than said hole and engageable in said enlargement and said recess, and means on the outer end of said set-screw for turning it to displace said head into or from said recess wherein it locks said holder in said body.

6. A pick box for a coal or like cutting machine having in combination a pick box body, a cylindrical socket within said body, a cylindrical pick holder housed in said socket, a threaded connection between said socket and said holder, a cutting pick having a shank, an axial opening in said holder to receive and conform to the crosssection of said shank, a recess in said shank, means within said holder projecting into said recess, means forming a part of said pick box body preventing removal of said last mentioned means from said recess while the holder is housed in said socket, at least one external recess in the periphery of said holder, at screw-threaded hole extending radially from said socket through said body, a set-screw extending from said socket outwardly through said hole, an axial bore in said set-screw, a spring plunger housed in said bore, means on said plunger preventing its removal outwardly through said bore, a head on the inner end of said plunger, and cam means on the outer end of said plunger operable by turning the plunger to displace said head into or from said recess wherein it locks said holder in said body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 837,246 Noble Nov. 27, 1906 1,920,035 Stephens July 25, 1933 2,183,581 Osgood Dec. 1-9, 1939 2,186,502 Simmons Jan. 9, 1940 2,351,206 Hayward June 13, 1944 2,449,288 Fulke Sept. 14, 1948 2,610,049 Elles et al Sept. 9, 1952 

